Parsons’ substance does match his style

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Chandler Parsons, the Rockets’ sharp-dressed man, will have at least one more road trip to showcase his wardrobe.

Parsons scored 11 of his 27 points in the third quarter Monday night to help the short-handed Rockets erase a halftime deficit and force their best-of-seven playoff series against the Thunder to Game 5.

He also had 10 rebounds and eight assists as Houston’s first offensive option on a night when James Harden was turnover-prone and ineffective and Jeremy Lin was in street clothes, unable to play as he tries to recover from a bruised chest muscle.

A few days after posing for a photo shoot touting what he describes as his team-leading sense of fashion, he now gets to pack for a plane trip this afternoon to Oklahoma City, site of yet another elimination game Wednesday night for the young but determined Rockets.

“We know we can play with these guys. We know we can beat these guys,” Parsons said. “We were in this situation the last two games. There was no way we were going to give this one away.”

He started quickly, with eight first-quarter points for a team that has consistently struggled in the opening minutes but this time led 29-24 at the break. With the Rockets down 60-53 at halftime, he had six early points to help fuel a 12-0 run that enabled Houston to gain a sense of control that was lacking in the first four games against Oklahoma City.

That sense of control was lacking again down the stretch, but that had as much to do with the play of Durant, who scored 38 points with Parsons and Francisco Garcia attempting to guard him, and veteran Derek Fisher, who had 16 off the bench, than with anything the Rockets were unable to do.

“We just didn’t want (Durant) to get anything easy,” Parsons said. “He got his points, and he is most likely going to get his points (in Game 5). It’s good taking turns on him and giving him different looks and showing him different bodies.”

Parsons said the Rockets were not intimidated coming into the game on the brink of elimination. In fact, he said they relish the challenge of trying to crack the NBA truism that no team comes back from a 3-0 deficit.

“We’re confident going in there,” he said. “Nobody is giving us a chance, so we’ve got no pressure. The pressure’s on them.”

He said memories of the Rockets’ inability to close out Games 2 and 3 boosted their determination not to let Game 4 get out of hand.

“We weren’t going to let our season and have that happen a third straight time,” Parsons said. “We were saying this is not our last game. Yesterday and the day before, we were taking about Game 5 in OKC. Losing (Game 4) never crossed our minds. You don’t think like that.”

And while he dresses to impress, Parsons said, “We’re a bunch of humble, hard-working dudes who are not going to give up and are going to play together.”

And now, all he has to pack his bag and do it again.

“Chandler did a good job today turning the corner,” said Rockets coach Kevin McHale. “He had a hell of a game. We’re going to need this kind of effort up in Oklahoma City.”